Boot carrier



March 3, 1970' R. vs'rL-:YR ETAL BOOT CARRIER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 2, 1968 ATTORNEY 5 March 3, 1970 R.vs1'r-;R ETAL `3,497,891

` BOOT CARRIER Filed Feb. 2, 196e s sheets-sheet 2 Fly. 7

BY 0%; P

ATTORNEYS March 3, i970 R. vosTER ETAI- 3,497,891

BOOT CARRIER Fied Feb. 2, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet-5 j Fig. /1 Fig. /4

INVENTORS 5W/l am /fpEJrf/L exi/m0 /MA E74 'Bry s ATTORNEYS United States Patent im. ci. Asb 5/16 U.S. Cl. 12-120.5 20 Claims ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE A framelike clamping device requiring very little space for straightening the soles of a pair of boots, for carrying the boots and for exhibiting and storing them in either of two different positions.

The present invention relates to a boot carrier, especially for ski boots, which is provided with a clamping device for straightening the soles of a pair of boots when not in use so that the boots will retain their proper shape, and also permits the -boots to be easily carried and transported,

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a boot carrier which is designed so as to take up as little space as possible and to permit the boots while clamped thereon to be stored or exhibited on a shelf of a relatively short depth, especially also when the available space is not suicient to place the boots side-by-side in their normal position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a boot carrier which may be easily carried or transported by itself or with the boots clamped thereon, and also permits the boots while clamped thereon to be stored or exhibited in either of two different positions, namely, in the normal position with the soles resting flat on the floor or on a shelf or the like or `with the soles extending upright,

An important feature of the invention for attaining these objects consists in providing a boot carrier which comprises two supporting members which are located side-by-side and are combined with each other so as to form a single unit which is adapted to receive a pair of boots and is provided with means for clamping the soles of the boots side-by-side and preferably independently of each other.

Another feature of the invention consists in designing the boot carrier and its clamping means so that both to'- gether `will only have a total length substantially equal to the length of the boot soles. The boot carrier and its clamping means preferably comprise a pair of substantially parallel rails which are provided with very simple means for clamping the boot soles thereon and are connected by a crosspiece to each other so as to forma substantially U-shaped frame.

As seen in a side view, the boot carrier according to the invention preferably has an angular shape with two arms extending at an angle to each other and is designed so as to support the boots either in the normal prone 3,497,891 Patented Mar. 3, 1970 position with the soles facing downwardly and engaging with the longer members of the U-shaped frame, or in a position in which the soles extend upright on the transverse member of the U-shaped frame the length of which from one end of the longer frame members is preferably made as small as possible. For improving the stability of the boot carrier when standing in its upright position, especially also when the boots are clamped thereon, and for also suspending the boots more securely on a vwall with the soles substantially flat against it, the pair of longitudinal members and the transverse member of the U-shaped frame, as seen from the side, preferably extend at an angle of less than 90 to each other and preferably at such an angle that, when the boot carrier stands in the upright position with its transverse member resting on a horizontal supporting surface, the center of gravity of the boot carrier and the boots clamped thereon will be located above a central part of this transverse member so that the boot carrier with the boots thereon will stand very steadily even in the upright position on a horizontal surface.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the boot carrier is further provided with suitable means for either standing it upon a supporting surface or for suspending it on a wall or the like.

Although the clamping means for clamping the boot heels upon the U-shaped frame may be of different designs, the invention provides a construction which takes up very little space, may be operated very easily, clamps the boot soles very securely, and may be manufactured at a low cost. According to this embodiment of the invention, the clamping means for each -boot comprise a pair of rails which are adjustable in the longitudinal direction relative to each other and at least one of which carries on one end a preferably resilient bracket which is adapted to be hookedover the front or rear end of the boot sole and may then be tightened thereon by means of a simple tightening lever relative to the other rail which supports the other end of the boot.

The clamping rails for the two boots may either form elements which are separate from ybut connected to the boot carrier or they may form parts of the boot carrier itself, namely, the two substantially parallel members of the U-shaped frame.

It is a further object of the invention to design the boot carrier so as to take up the smallest possible space when not in operation for clamping and carrying a pair of boots. For this purpose the invention provides that the two arms of the boot carrier which, as previously mentioned, extend at an angle of less than to each other at least when in the operative position in which they are ready to receive a pair of boots, and one of which arms forms the pair of substantially parallel frame member and the other arm the transverse frame member, are pivotable toward each other from the operative position to a collapsed position in which the entire boot carrier will be almost flat. Suitable spring means as well as locking means may also ibe provided for automatically pivoting the two arms either toward or away from each other and for locking them in one position or the other.

The above-mentioned as well as further features and advantages of the present invention will become more clearly apparent from the following detailed description thereof which is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 shows as side view of a boot carier according to a first embodiment of the invention with a rigid angular supporting frame;

FIGURE 2 shows a front view thereof;

FIGURE 3 shows a cross section which is taken along the line 3 3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 shows a side view of the lower parts of a boot carrier according to a modification of the invention;

FIGURE 5 shows a front View of the parts according to FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 shows a side view of another modification of the boot carrier according to the invention;

FIGURE 7 shows a rear view of the boot carrier according to FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 shows a side View of the lower parts of a boot carrier according to a further modification of the invention;

FIGURE 9 shows a bottom view of the boot carrier according to FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 shows a side view of the lower parts of a boot carrier according to a modification of the boot carrier as shown in FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 11 shows a bottom view of the boot carrier according to FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 12 shows a side View of the lower` parts of a boot carrier according to a further modification of the invention;

FIGURE 13 shows the boot carrier according to FIG- URE 12 in the collapsed position; while FIGURE 14 shows a side View of the lower parts of a boot carrier according to still another modification of the invention.

The boot carrier according to a first embodiment of the invention as illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 3 comprises a frame which, as seen from the front according to FIGURE 2, is U-shaped and essentially consists of two substantially parallel longitudinal arms 21a and 2lb and a crossarm 22 which connects the two arms at one end to each other. As seen in a side View, as shown in FIGURE 1, the two longitudinal arms 21a and 2lb which have a greater length than the crossarm 22 extend at an angle to the latter. This crossarm 22 forms a substantially flat plate which is provided with fiangelike supporting feet 23a and 23b and also comprises the parts 24 and 24a which are bent upwardly at one end thereof and to which the straight arms 21a and 2lb are welded.

For clamping the boots 25 to the frame 20, the latter is provided with clamping and tightening means 26 which may be of any suitable construction but should be designed so as to permit the boot carrier with the boots clamped thereon either to be rested on a supporting surface A with the boots in the normal prone position and the arms 21 facing or resting directly on this surface A or with the boots in an upright position as shown in FIGURE 1, and the crossarm 22v resting on a horizontal supporting surface B. As also shown`in FIGURE l, the two longitudinal arms 21 extend at an angle of less than 90 to the crossarm 22 so that, when the crossarm 22 of the boot carrier rests on the supporting surface B, the center of gravity S of the boot carrier and the boots 25 thereon will be located approximately centrally above the supporting surface B in such a position that the crossarm 22 will form a steady support of the boots and the carrier.

According to the invention, the clamping and tightening means 26 of the boot carrier are, however, preferably designed as illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 3 which show that each of the two longitudinal arms 21a and 2lb of the U-shaped frame 20 consists of a fixed hollow rail which encompasses a movable rail 27 which is telescopically slidable therein in its longitudinal direction. Each rail 21a and 2lb is provided with a few of serratians 28 with which a resilient tongue 29 which is secured to the associated movable rail 27 is adapted to engage in different positions along the length of rail 21a or 2lb so as to lock the two rails 21 and 27 in the adjusted position to each other.

Each of the movable rails 27 carries on its upper end a tightening lever 31 which is pivotably connected thereto by a hinge 30 and carries a clamping bracket 32 of steel wire which is bent so as to be substantially U-shaped, as seen from the front (FIGURE 2), and to have an inverted L-shape, as seen from the side (FIGURE l). This clamping bracket is of a resilient construction so that its upper arms 33a and the crossbar 33 thereon which are to engage over the front end of the boot sole will be slightly resilient relative to the arms of this bracket which are pivotably connected to the tightening lever 31. The inner arms 33a of the two clamping brackets 32 and connected to each other by a flexible strap 34 by means of which the boot carrier either with or without boots may be carried or hung on a hook on a wall or of a wardrobe or the like.

When a pair of boots 25 is to be clamped by the boot carrier, the crossbars 33 and the arms 33a of the clamping brackets 32 are hooked over the front end of the boot soles 25a, while the rear ends of both boot heels are inserted between the upward extensions 24 and 24a of the crossarm 22 and a clamping member 35 on this crossarm which presses the heels firmly against the extensions 24 and 24a and against the adjacent lower ends of the arms 21a and b. The clamping member 35 consists of an angular rail which is adjustable on the crossarm 22 in the longitudinal direction of the latter, for example, by a pair of screws 36 which are rigidly secured to the clamping member 35 and extend through and are slidable along longitudinal slot 37 in crossarm 22 to which they may be locked by slotted nuts 38 or the like. For reducing its weight, the crossarm or base 22 may be provided with an aperture 39.

For adjusting the boot carrier to the different shoe sizes, it is possible, on the one hand, to adjust the common clamping member 35 for both boot heels in the longitudinal direction of the crossarm 22 in accordance with the thickness of the boot heels and, on the other hand, to adjust the movable rails 27 in the longitudinal direction of the arms 21a, 2lb by means of the adjustable locking means 28 and 29 so that when the tightening levers 31 are released, the arms 33a and the crossbars 33 of the clamping brackets 32 will be spaced at such a distance from the upper edges of the heel clamping members 35 that the boot soles 25a including the heels may be inserted between them. When the lever 31 of each clamping bracket 32 is being rotated to its tightened position, the pivotal connection of the clamping lever 31 and bracket 32 passes slightly beyond a dead center position defined by an imaginary straight line which extends the hinge 30 and the point of contact of the bracket 32 which bears near the top and front ends of the boot soles, such imaginary straight line being oblique to the surface of rails 21a or b and 27. As a result of, the crossbar 33 will draw the front end of each boot sole resiliently in the direction toward an upward extension of the plane of the movable rail 27 and will thereby straighten the boot sole 25 including its heel and press it tightly against the surfaces of the rails 21a or b and 27. In addition, a downwardly directed force is exerted on the sole of the shoe in the direction of the plane of the rail 27 against the crossarm 22 so as to press the boot sole tightly against the heel clamping member 35.

FIGURES 4 and 5 illustrate a modification of the boot carrier laccording to the invention which differs essentially from the boot carrier according to FIGURES l to 3 only by the substitution of a separate resilient wire bracket 40 for each boot heel in place of the common heel clamping member 35 for both heels. Each of these wire brackets 40 is pivotably connected at. 41 to one of the fixed rails 21 of the U-shaped frame 20, and its crossbar 41a is adapted to engage over the rear end of the heel portion of the boot sole 40. This embodiment of the invention has the advantage that the wire brackets 40 will adapt themselves automatically to the particular height of the boot heels without requiring 'any manual adjustments. In all other respects, the boot carrier as partly shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 may be of the same or a similar construction as the boot carrier according to FIGURES l to 3.

FIGURES 6 and 7 illustrate a further modification of the invention in which the boot carrier comprises a U- shaped frame 120 the lower end which forming the crossbar of the U is bent over so as to form a very short arm 122 which serves as a heel support and is provided with a pair of feet 123a and a heel clamping member 135. In place of the fixed central foot 23b of the boot carrier according to FIGURES 1 to 3, the boot carrier according to FIGURES 6 and 7 is provided with a bracing leg 142 which is pivotably connected at 143 to the frame 120 and adapted to be pivoted toward the free end of the short crossbar 122 to a collapsed position or away from it to the bracing position as shown in FIGURE 6, in which it is held by a pair of connected links 144 and 145 which limit the distance to which the supporting leg 142 may be pivoted away from the frame 120. In all other respects, the boot carrier according to FIGURES 6 and 7 may be similar to the boot carrier according to FIGURES 1 to 3.

FIGURES 8 and 9 show another boot carrier according to the invention which has a U-shaped frame 120 similar to that as shown in FIGURES 6 and 7. The outer end of the short lower arm 122 of this frame carries a supporting member 147 which is pivotable about a transverse axis 146. When the boot carrier is not in use, this supporting member 147 may be pivoted upwardly toward the parallel arms of the frame to the position 147 in which it abuts against the heel clamping members 135 and when it should support the frame in the upright position as shown in FIGURE 8, the supporting member 147 may be pivoted downwardly to a position in which it is substantially in alignment with the short arm 122 and in which it may be locked by a lever 148 which is pivotable about a vertical axis 149 on the supporting member 147 and may be inserted into a hook-shaped member 150 which is secured to the arm 122 of frame 120.

FIGURES l0 and ll show a modification of the frame support according to FIGURES 8 and 9 which differs from the latter by the fact that the supporting member 151 is mounted on the short arm 122 of frame 120 so as to be pivotable about an axis 152 within a plane parallel to the arm 122 from a supporting position 151 to an inoperative position 151 which are disposed at an angle of about 90 to each other.

FIGURES l2 `and 13 illustrate the lower parts of a boot carrier which comprises a frame 220 consisting of a pair of substantially parallel arms 22111 and b which are pivotably connected by a hinge 253 to one end of a supporting base 222 and may be pivoted relative to the latter from the operative position as shown in FIGURE l2 to an inoperative or collapsed position as shown in FIGURE 13. The arms 22111 and b may be maintained in the operative position relative to the base 222 by means of one or a pair of triangular plates 254 or similar bracing means. The triangular plate or plates 254 or the corresponding bracing means may be pivotably connected either to the base 222 so as to be pivotable about a hingle axis 255 extending in the longitudinal direction of the base or it may be connected to the frame 226 so as to be pivotable about a hingle axis 256 extending in the longitudinal direction of the frame. The triangular plate or plates 254 or similar bracing means may be provided with erecting springs for automatically erecting them to the position yas shown in FIGURE 12 when the frame 220 and its base 222 are pivoted apart from the collapsed position according to FIGURE 13. Suitable stop members or locking means may also be provided for securing the plates 254 or other bracing means in the erected position. For clamping the boot heels, the frame arms 221a and b may be provided with wire brackets 240 similar to those as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 or with similar means which are pivotably connected to these arms. In all other respects, the boot carrier according to FIG- URES l2 and 13 may again be of the same construction as shown in FIGURES l to 3.

If desired, the bracing means may also be designed so as to be pivotable on the arms 221a and b or on the base 222 about axes extending transversely thereto. When pivotably mounted on one of these parts, the free end of such a bracing means may then be connected to the other part, for example, by means of a hook which may be hooked over a pin or into an eye on the other part.

A structure similar to the one as last described is illustrated in FIGURE 14 in which one end of a bracing member 257 is pivotably connected at 258 to the base 222, while its other end is pivotably connected to a slide member 259 which is slidable along one or both of the arms 221 in the direction of the double arrow X1 and adapted to be locked to this larm or these arms. When the two members 221 and 222 are pivoted from the inoperative or collapsed position similar to that as shown in FIGURE 13 to the operative position according to FIG- URE 14, the slide member 259 will slide downwardly along the arm or arms 221 until it engages with a stop 260 and it may then be locked in this position by any suitable means.

The bracing member 257 is preferably located between the two arms 221a and b similarly as shown in FIGURES 6 and 7 by the bracing leg 142 and the slide member 259 may then be slidable along either or both arms 221a and 221b.

Although our invention has been illustrated and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, we wish to have it understood that it is in no way limited to the details of such embodiments but is capable of numerous modification.

Having thus fully disclosed our invention, what we claim is:

1. A boot carrier comprising a frame having two receiving parts adapted to receive the soles of a pair of boots, said frame, as seen in a front view taken toward the soles of said boots, being substantially U-shaped and comprising a pair of substantially parallel arms, each of said arms forming one of said receiving parts, a supporting base for said frame constituting the bight portion of the U-shape, said frame, as seen in a side view, having an angular shape wherein each of said arms is disposed at an angle to said supporting base, each of said arms being comprised of an upper and lower portion, each said upper portion being in telescopically sliding relation to each said lower portion in the longitudinal direction of said arms, each said lower portion being connected to said supporting base, and clamping means at the free end of each said upper portion for bracing said boot soles resting on said arms.

2. A boot carrier as defined in claim 1, wherein the inner and outer portions of said arms are provided with locking means for the selective engagement of the telescopically sliding portions for setting the distance of the clamping means from the supporting base.

3. A boot carrier as defined in claim 1, wherein the supporting base is substantially plate-shaped, and adjustable clamping means associated therewith for afiixing said boot soles resting on said arms.

4. A boot carrier as defined in claim 3, wherein the adjustable clamping means comprises a slide member guided in the plane of said supporting base, and guiding means associated with said frame for guiding said slide member in the direction of the plane of said parallel arms so as to assume variable distances from said arms depending upon the height of the heels of said boot soles resting on said arms and firmly retain said heels against said arms.

5. A boot carrier as defined in claim 1, wherein said arms have opposite inner and outer surfaces, said inner surfaces facing said boots when said boots are clamped upon said frame, said outer surfaces of said arms and an outer surface of said supporting base forming contact surfaces each alternately adapted to be rested on a substantially horizontal support so that when said outer surfaces of said arms are rested on said support, said boots will be in a prone position with their sole bottoms facing said support and when said outer surface of the supporting base is rested on said support, said soles will extend substantially upright to said support.

6. A boot carrier as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame including said clamping means has in one direction a length substantially equal to the length of the boot soles.

7. A boot carrier as defined in claim 1, further comprising means on said frame for standing the same on a supporting surface, and means on said frame for suspending it on a wall or the like.

8. A boot carrier as defined in claim 7, wherein said supporting base comprises feet and said means for suspending said frame comprises at least one member connecting the free ends of said arms.

9. A boot carrier comprising a frame having two receiving parts laterally adjacent to each other and adapted to receive a pair of boots so that the soles of said boots rest on said receiving parts, means for clamping said boots laterally adjacent to each other upon said receiving parts, said frame, as seen in a side view, having an angular shape composed of two arms, a first of said arms forming said receiving parts for the soles of said boots and the second arm disposed at an angle to said first arm and forming a supporting base for said frame, said arms having opposite inner and outer surfaces, said inner surfaces facing said boots when said boots are clamped upon said frame, said outer surfaces of said arms forming contact surfaces each alternately adapted to be rested on a substantially horizontal support so that when said outer surface of one of said arms is rested on said support, said boots will be in a prone position with the sole bottoms facing said support and when said outer surface of the other arm is rested on said support, said soles will extend substantially upright to said support, wherein said two arms of said frame are disposed at an angle of less than 90 to each otherso that, when said boot carrier is standing on said support in the position in which said boot soles extend substantially upright, the center of gravity of said boot carrier and said boots `when clamped upon the inner surface of one of said arms will be disposed above the inner surface of the other arm.

10. A boot carrier comprising a frame having two receiving parts laterally adjacent to each other and adapted to receive a pair of boots so that the soles of said boots rest on said receiving parts, means for clamping said boots laterally to each other upon said receiving parts, said frame, as seen in a side view, having an angular shape composed of two arms, a first of said arms forming said receiving parts for the soles of said boots and the second arm disposed at an angle to said first arm and lforming a supporting base for said frame, slide means adapted to engage upon the heels of said boots for clamping the same upon said first arm, means on the second arm for shifting said slide means to different positions on said second arm, and means for locking said slide means to said second arm in any of said positions.

11. A boot carrier comprising a frame having two receiving parts laterally adjacent to each other and adapted to receive a pair of boots so that the soles of said boots rest on said receiving parts, means for clamping said boots laterally adjacent to each other upon said receiving parts, a supporting base for aid frame, means for pivotably connecting said base to said frame, so as to be pivotable upwardly toward said frame about a transverse axis from a supporting position to an inoperative position, and means for locking said base in said supporting position.

12. A boot carrier comprising an angular frame having two arms, a first of said arms adapted to receive thesole of at least one boot, the second arm forming a supporting base for said frame when said first arm is disposed in a substantially upright position, in combination with a bracing member for said base, means for pivotably connecting said bracing member to said base so as to be pivotable about an axis extending substantially vertically to the plane of said base and means for locking said bracing member to said base.

13. A boot carrier c-omprising an angular frame having two arms, a first of said arms adapted to receive the sole of at least one boot, the second arm forming a supporting base for said frame when said first arm is disposed in a substantially upright position, in combination with me'ans for pivotably connecting said second arm to said first arm so as to be pivotable about a transverse axis from a supporting position to an operative position, and bracing means for securing said second arm in said supporting position.

14. A boot carrier as defined in claim 13, wherein said bracing means comprise at least one triangular element, and hinge means pivotably connecting said element to one of said arms so as to be pivotable from an inoperative position to a bracing position about an axis extending substantially parallel to one side of said element.

15. A boot carrier as defined in claim 14 in combination with spring means acting upon said arms and tending to pivot the same to said supporting position, and stop means for limiting said supporting position.

16. A-boot carrier =as defined in claim 14, wherein said bracing means comprise at least one bracing member pivotably connected to one of said arms and slidably connected to the other arm so as t-o be' movable in the longitudinal direction thereof, and means for locking said bracing member in said supporting position.

17. A boot carrier comprising a frame having two receiving parts laterally adjacent to each and adapted to receive a pair of boots so that the boot soles rest on said receiving parts, means for clamping said boots laterally adjacent to each other upon said receiving parts, said frame', as seen in a side View, having an angular shape composed of two arms, a first of said arms forming said receiving parts for said boot soles and the second arm disposed at an angle to said first arm and forming a supporting base for said frame, at least one bracing member adapted to support the frame, means for pivotably connecting said bracing member to said first arm, and means for securing said bracing member in a bracing position relative to said frame so as to support the same.

18. A boot carrier as defined in claim 17, wherein said securing means comprise a pair of links pivotably connected at the inner ends to each other and at the outer ends to said frame and to said bracing member.

19. A boot carrier comprising a frame, as seen in a side view, having an angular shape composed of two arms, a first of said arms adapted to receive the sole of a boot and the second arm adapted to support said boot at the heel thereof, and a clamping means at the free end of said first arm wherein said clamping means essentially comprises a clamping lever supported on the surface of said first arm opposite to said boot, a clamping bracket pivotably connected to said clamping lever for hooking over the front end of said boot sole, whereby when the clamping lever is being rotated to a tightened position, the' pivotal connection point between said clamping lever and said clamping bracket passes slightly beyond a dead center position defined by an imaginary straight line drawn through the pivot axis of the supporting point of said lever 0n said first arm and a point Ot Contact of said clamping bracket with the boot sole near the front and top end References Cited thereof. UNITED STATES PATENTS 20. A boot carrier as dened in claim 19, wherein the pivot axis of the supporting point of said lever and said 1,042,364 10/1912 Mellen 211`38 point of contact on said clamping bracket are positioned 5 2 883 688 4/1959 Bfreca 12-1205 such that said imaginary straight line extends obliqueiy 3,237,226 3/1966 Glesdahl 12120'5 with respect to said rst arm whereby upon tightening said lever, a forcel is produced upon said boot sole which PATRICK D- LAWSON, Primary Examiner presses the same against said first arm and another force is produced upon said boot sole which presses the same 10 U.S. C1. X.R.

against said second arm. 211-38 

